Alex Bay chooses police chief

ALEXANDRIA BAY — The village board picked its next police chief at a special meeting Friday but refused to identify him. Mayor Terry J. Robb said the village offered the position to one of the three finalists, but the candidate did not accept the job right away and asked for time to consider options.

"He asked us to give him until Monday," Mr. Robb said. He said the board will announce its next police chief at its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

He said the village cannot identify the pick now because it is a personnel issue. The village must appoint its next police chief by Monday.

The three candidates are Michael J. Hennegan, former Watertown police chief, James M. Marshall, a former Watertown detective, and Andrew J. Naklick.

Mr. Robb said Mr. Naklick, a Watertown city firefighter and part-time police officer in West Carthage, has worked for Alexandria Bay's police department for several years in the past and is "familiar with the village."

Also, Mr. Robb said, Mr. Nacklick, 30, Watertown, is familiar with working with computers.

"Our police department is now totally computerized," he said. "It is very important that the chief understands and knows how to operate those programs. If we take in new employees, the chief needs to be able to train these guys on this equipment."

Mr. Robb said the village interviewed one candidate twice because he seemed "most favorable" to the village board.

Mr. Nacklick, who scored fourth on a civil service exam for the position, became a finalist after Benjamin K. Timmerman, who scored second, dropped out.

Mr. Robb said the village was unable to remove Mr. Hennegan's name from the state Department of Civil Service's list of police chief candidates.

"Mr. Hennegan would cost us a lot of money," Mr. Robb said, adding that Mr. Hennegan retired 14 years ago and is not a certified police officer.

He said the village would have to hire another full-time officer to assist Mr. Hennegan as he would not be able to enforce the law until he completed 18 weeks of basic training in January.

The village board did not discuss Mr. Marshall's qualifications in regular session at the special meeting.

If the unnamed candidate declines the village's offer, the village's interim police chief, Brian K. Mullaney, and Dale P. Mason, who tied for fifth, could be considered for the position.

The village can have four candidates if two applicants receive the same score.

The village police chief's starting salary would be $45,700.